The Music Box Waltz
by Foxcat93
Summary: A Little Tramp story. The tramp meets a somewhat outcast little girl. Contains 2 timelines, the earlier is inspired by the Keystone films and has a lot of slapstick and silliness. The later, more sentiment.
1. Mabel and Charlie at the Races

**Chapter 1 - Mabel and Charlie at the Races**

The year was 1914. The tramp woke up in his rooming house lodgings as his alarm clock tinkled merrily. The room was cosy but not expensive. He yawned and turned over in bed. The alarm clock desperately continued to try to do its job. It was already eight o'clock! He grabbed the unfortunate clock and threw it out the half-open window. He pulled the covers over himself and fell back asleep.

Two hours later, the tramp woke up again. This time he jumped up with a start, his bright blue eyes wide open. He looked for the clock to find out what time it was, then remembered the clock no longer shared his room. He got out of bed in his nightclothes which consisted of a white short sleeved shirt and long pants knotted at the waist with a tie. He splashed some water on his face and shaved quickly, trimming his small black moustache.

The tramp pulled on his grey trousers which were many sizes too large for him over the night clothes. He pulled up the white braces to hold up the trousers and buttoned his collar, shirt and tie. He looked at his feet which sported thin black stockings with huge holes, through which one could view his big toe on each foot. He pulled his large, disreputable shoes from under his pillow and held them up in the direction of the window. Yes, he could still see sunlight through the holes. He put them on and examined his cutaway suit coat. It had a hole in the left elbow and a tear on the right sleeve seam. Mabel would fix that for him. He put on his light blue vest and the jacket.

Pulling out his pocket watch, he wound it and found that it was already after 10:00! The auto races started at eleven and he didn't want to disappoint Mabel. Sleeping late had its advantages, though; you didn't have to buy breakfast. He ran his fingers through his shiny, black curly hair and satisfied that he looked presentable, he put his battered black derby on his head, grabbed his bamboo cane from the doorknob and ran out the door.

He rushed down the stairs, only to run into a tall man with a large moustache.

"Charlie, your weekly rent is due," said the man. He held out his hand.

"Ain't go' the toime roigh' now, Billy," said Charlie, trying to sidestep the tall man. "Go' a impor'nt engagem'nt…" He ran out the door.

"You better have it this afternoon, Charlie, or you're outa here!" yelled Billy, after the tramp.

Charlie stopped momentarily, turned, made a face and thumbed his nose at the man. He resumed running as he held onto his hat and when he came to the corner, he turned by sticking his left leg out straight and skipping several times on his right. He had to hurry. Mabel, his girlfriend, wouldn't be happy if he were late today.

He ran past the saloon, then stopped and looked at the sign. He was expecting to buy lunch at the races for himself and Mabel, but examining his tongue, he realized he was very thirsty. The saloon was just opening up and it couldn't hurt to have a drink. He went in and the place was already crowded.

He checked his pockets for money and pulled out a silver dollar. It was all he had and earmarked for going to the races with Mabel today. He flipped the coin around in his hand, then set it on the bar and tapped it to get the bartender's attention.

"I need some change…" The bartender nodded and turned his back to make change.

The man standing next to him had his back turned and his drink was on the bar. Charlie grabbed it surreptitiously and chugged it down in one swallow. He put the empty glass back on the bar and the bartender brought his change. He ordered a drink for himself. He watched carefully for a chance to grab the bottle sitting on the bar and he chugged down some of that too. Then he picked up his own drink and sipped from it. He pocketed his change, including some other people's change that was on the bar counter.

Noticing the regulator clock on the wall, he squinted at it, and had a bit of a time focusing his eyes on it. He elbowed the man next to him. "I say, wha' toime is it by th' clock?"

"It's 11:15...what the matter? Can't you tell time?"

Charlie drank the rest of his drink then kicked the man in the backside and ran to the swinging doors. The doors unfortunately knocked him down as another customer came in. On his hands and knees he crawled out under the doors. He had a hard time standing up, but he did. He walked unsteadily to the curb, spying a streetcar. He took a very large step off the very small curb step and fell down in the street.

He helped himself up by putting his hand on the back of a parked automobile which had a picnic basket standing on the fender. He accidentally stuck his hand in the basket which held a cream pie. He pulled his hand out and looked at it. There was a man standing next to the car, holding the door open for a woman. The tramp wiped his hand on the back of the man's jacket.

Then he went to the middle of the street, almost tripping over the streetcar tracks. The car stopped and Charlie got on and dropped a button in the fare box. Then he started walking to the back of the car.

"Hey!" yelled the conductor. "Come back here! You put a button in the fare box!"

Charlie turned, holding on to a seat. "Wha' y' wan', a bigger but'ton?" he yelled back. He giggled and thumbed his nose in the conductor's direction.

Some of the other passengers tittered and Charlie giggled again, enjoying the audience. The conductor stopped the car and came back to where Charlie had seated himself in the middle of the aisle on the floor. He pulled the tramp up by his lapels and shook him by the neck. "You owe me a fare!"

Charlie dug around in his pocket and gave him a bigger button. He was promptly thrown off the streetcar. He fell down the streetcar steps and picked himself up off the street again. Then, spying the saloon again, he attempted to go back there, having completely forgotten about Mabel. He was suddenly knocked down by a car whose driver saw him only at the last minute.

It was Mabel. She screamed, stopped the car and jumped out. The tramp was sprawled across the hood of the car.

"Oh, no!" she screamed, seeing Charlie. She touched his face and hands and he moved. "Oh, thank goodness, you're alive! Are you all right? Charlie, speak to me!"

He roused himself and pushed himself to a shaky standing position next to the car. "Yeah, I'm foine," he stated, not quite sure of what had happened. He blinked a bit and attempted to pick up his cane and hat from the street. Mabel picked them up for him. A crowd was gathering.

"Can you walk okay?" asked Mabel. Charlie nodded. "Get in the car, honey." He got in the passenger seat and Mabel drove off, leaving the gaping crowd behind. The tramp closed his eyes.

"Charlie, are you sure you're all right? We can call off going to the auto races today if you want…"

"No, tha's awroigh'; let's go…"

"What were you doing in the middle of the street anyway? And why were you so late? I waited so long for you; I decided you must have overslept. I thought I would come and pick you up."

"Yer so sweet…" He hiccupped and put his fingers over his mouth, grinning. Then he leaned over to give her a kiss.

"Oh, now I understand, you were at the saloon. Charlie, it isn't even noon yet! When are you going to learn to be a responsible person?"

Charlie smiled, looking at her. When Mabel got angry, she became even more animated than usual. She had tiny rosebud lips that often formed the letter "O" in exasperation. Her large prominent brown eyes lit up her whole oval shaped face. She had long curly dark brown hair which she wore pinned up today, under her large white straw hat with feathers, ribbons and flowers and matching jacket and skirt. Her fancy umbrella was on the seat next to her.

"Yer purdy when yer angry, Mabel," he said, still smiling.

"Hmmmpppphhh," said Mabel. He was always very sweet after he had done something unspeakably bad. She wasn't going to make up with him right away.

"I hope you have some money….you didn't spend it all at the saloon, did you?"

"No, I 'ardly spent any o' me money a t'all, Mabel. In fac', I think I made some money…"

They arrived at the auto race track. Mabel pulled into a parking space. She got out of the car and closed the door. "Well aren't you going to get out?"

"Me foot 'urts, Mabel…think mybe y' did roll over it…"

"Oh Charlie, I'm sorry…let me look…"

"No, jus' 'elp me outa th' car, ducks."

Mabel helped him out of the car and he was indeed limping. She closed his door and put her arm around his back. It took a little while for them to walk together to the entrance of the park where Charlie, true to his word, paid for them to enter. They found a front row seat in the grandstand with a good view of the race.

Charlie bought hot dogs for himself and Mabel. The races started and the crowd became excited and animated. Charlie was acting a little under-whelmed until a tall blonde woman and her boyfriend sat down next to him. He eyed her, then poked her with his cane. She turned to look at him and he tipped his hat, grinning. She sniffed haughtily and turned away. He had his left arm around Mabel, who was intently watching the races and he slowly crept his right arm around the tall blonde woman's back. Suddenly she felt his arm, turned and stood up, giving him a good whack in the face, which knocked him backwards into the people sitting in the next grandstand row. His legs flipped up and the people in the row behind pushed him back to his own row where he fell on his face on the dirt.

Mabel jumped up alarmed, her mouth making a large "O". The large man who was the blonde girl's boyfriend pulled Charlie up by the nape of his neck and was about to hit him when Charlie pulled out his secret weapon. He always kept a variety of stick pins in the bottom of his vest and he took the pin and stuck the large man, whose name was Ambrose, in the thigh. He dropped Charlie in surprise and the tramp kicked him in the leg. The women tried to make peace and pulled the men back to sitting positions, the women next to each other, the men on the ends.

Charlie momentarily forgot his fighting and started watching the races. A car he didn't want to win was in the lead. He found a brick underneath the grandstand bench and heaved it at the car. It bounced off harmlessly, but some of the other first row people found their own bricks and started heaving them at the autos.

A policeman came over to find out what was the matter. A couple of the auto drivers stopped their cars and came over after having been hit with bricks. They rolled up their sleeves, angry that the race had been disrupted and ready to hit someone, anyone. The policeman and Charlie got into a shouting match and Charlie took off running, the cop after him. Mabel's mouth formed an "O" again and she put her hand to her cheek as she watched the tramp run with his weird splay-footed run. _The rat, _she thought, _I didn't run over his foot…he was playing me for sympathy! And he probably wanted me to put my arm around him too!_


	2. Julie

**Chapter 2 - Julie**

The tiny figure in the pink gauze skirt danced, her hands held out on both sides. She whirled about on her toes. As she danced, a music box tinkled and played a song. She whirled and spun, twirling in one direction in a dance that would make anyone else dizzy.

As she was whirling, she saw two huge blue eyes staring at her. The face they belonged to smiled. The dancer was always happy to see that smile.

The little girl with the blue eyes put down her music box on the dresser and continued to stare at it. She loved the music box and its lovely tinkling music. The tiny figure was so pretty. The girl wanted to be just like her. The girl stood on her toe and did a pirouette. She whirled until she became dizzy. Then she lay on the bottom of the bed and closed her eyes, her feet dangling, feeling the exhilarating sensation of being dizzy.

"Julia, where are you? Your father wishes your presence in the dining room." came a voice from the bottom of the stairway, outside of her door. "Come down here immediately. It's dinner time." It was the butler, Chambers.

The girl with the blue eyes opened them suddenly and jumped up. She ran downstairs and almost bumped into her father, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, his hands on his hips, frowning.

"Get a move on, child, hurry up!" he said. He was always impatient and never had much time for his children.

Julie, at eight years old, had never been to school. Her mother had her tested at age five and it was thought, because she could not speak, that she was mentally handicapped and would not understand anything that was taught in school. A tutor had been retained for Julie's little brother Denny, for it was thought that he was quite above normal intelligence.

Julie's mother had never believed the doctors. She believed her daughter to be very intelligent. But of course only the doctor's opinions mattered in her husband's mind, when it came to putting Julie in school or getting a tutor. Julie's mother had taught her to read. Even though she could not pronounce the words, she could point to the words as her mother read them and her mother knew she could read.

Julie's father, Sterling Thomas Wilkins, was a man whose family had made a fortune and then lost much of it in the Crash of '29. Although not as wealthy as his father had been, Mr. Wilkins had built up the family's wealth again since taking over his father's business. He still had servants and much of the other trappings of wealth surrounding him even now in these years after the second world war.

* * *

"Charlie, Charlie, wake up, come on, get up…" The tramp felt someone shaking him. "Charlie, what are ye doing sleeping on a park bench again? Don't ye have no place to go? Are ye drunk?"

The tramp woke up from his dream. He blinked sleepily. He was laying in a foetal position on a bench under a tree, in the park. It was broad daylight. He looked up at the policeman who had awakened him. He sat up and ran his fingers through his curly grey hair and put his hat on straight.

"I ain't 'ad a drink since I dunno when, Bill." He made no move to leave the bench. The tramp was still a little groggy. The dream was strangely more real than the present moment. It took him a moment to shake the past off of himself.

"It's Officer O'Toole to you, Charlie," said the policeman. Then he said in a softer tone, "Charlie, listen," the cop put his hand on the little man's shoulder and turned him around. "It's not my idea…ye know, I'd let ye sleep in the park any time ye wanted, but it's against the law…you understand…and ye keep decent people away from the park…they don't want no dirty bums layin' about in the park"

"Yeah, I un'nerstan'!" said the tramp angrily. "Yer tryin' t' ge' all the bums off th' streets. I tole y' b'fore, I ain't no bum! I work fer me livin'… An' I ain't dirty!" He paused, feeling a little sorry for himself. "An' y' spend yer loife doin' things tha' all a sudd'n seem t' be agains' th' law…tha' don't make no sense! Why weren't them things croimes when I was young?"

"Now, Charlie, don't ye be getting' yer underwear in a bunch over it. You just stay outa trouble. I don't want to see you back in jail."

The tramp tipped his hat to the policeman, whom he knew was only doing his duty. He picked up his things and the policeman, who kept an eye on the old tramp, watched him walk off slowly with his odd splay-footed gait.


	3. The Musician

The following afternoon, Julie snuck out the back door. It was late summer, still warm and the servants wouldn't miss her right away. She ran to the park. Most of the other children wouldn't play with her because they thought she was odd, not going to school and not speaking a word. So she played by herself on the swings and she made a sand man in the sandbox.

Then suddenly she heard music, very lovely music, so pretty that she dropped her tin pail and shovel into the sandbox. She turned and heard someone a short distance away playing a violin. There was a crowd gathered around. She ran over and stood on the edge of the crowd. She couldn't see the musician but the music was soft and beautiful. Then she heard a lively folk tune and quite a few others. Julie sat on the grass at the edge of the crowd and listened in rapture.

When the music finally stopped, the crowd dispersed and many put a coin into the musician's hat. He took the coins out and put them in his pocket, replacing the hat on his head. He started putting the violin in his carpetbag when he noticed Julie sitting in the grass. He looked over at her and smiled. She smiled back.

He looked like an old tramp. Her father had warned her to keep away from tramps and hoboes, for he said they could be dangerous. So she had usually only seen them from a distance. But this one made beautiful music; he couldn't be dangerous. She looked at his clothes, which were tattered, but looked clean. His trousers didn't fit; they were too large and frayed at the bottom. He had several patches sewn in them too. His jacket was little better, being ripped at the left sleeve's seam. It had numerous small holes and frays if you looked closely. And he wore a faded and threadbare blue and green plaid vest. His stand-up collar and bow tie seemed new though, and contrasted oddly with the rest of his tattered clothes. His shoes were so large he had trouble walking in them and it gave him an odd gait. His carpetbag was navy blue paisley with dark red and was a bit tatty at the edges.

"'Ello…what's yer nyme?"

Julie pulled out her pad of paper. Her mother had taught her to write too, so she could communicate. She wrote her name and handed it to the man. He looked at the paper upside down, then righted it, pulling it closer to his eyes, then further away. "Julie...tha's yer nyme?" She nodded. Julie motioned that she couldn't speak. "Oh I see…" said the man. He grinned again. He had a little square salt and pepper moustache and the bluest eyes Julie had ever seen. When he grinned, Julie noticed he had large and crooked teeth, but still he had a nice smile. His longish curly grey hair showed under his hat.

"Bu' y' c'n 'ear me?" said the old man, touching his ear. He was very thin and not too tall either. Julie nodded.

"Me nyme is Charlie," said the little man. He had an odd way of speaking, that Julie hadn't heard before, swallowing some of the ends of his words and pronouncing them, to her ear, a bit oddly. But she could understand him.

He sat down in the grass next to her. She moved away a bit. "Don't be afraid, I ain't gonna 'urt y'." He leaned over and touched her behind the ear. He pulled his fingers away from her ear and showed her a coin in his hand. "Look wha's behoind yer ear, swee' eart…."

She smiled and giggled silently. Then he pulled another coin from her other ear. She gave him a puzzled look that said, How did you do that?

"It's a secret!" said the tramp. "Ere, the coin's fer y'; after all I found it behoind yer ear…"

She nodded her head in thanks and put the coin in her pocket. The little old man put on his tattered gloves with almost no fingers in them. He stood up and suddenly started doing tricks with his hat. It popped off his head, then settled down exactly in the right place. His hat rolled up and down his arms and back, as if by itself.

Julie laughed silently, smiling happily.

"'Are y' 'ungry?" She shook her head. "Well, I am. An' I go' some dough now… y' wanna come wi' me? I'll buy y' some ice cream…" She smiled and nodded again.

They walked over to a place in the park where there was food being sold. As he walked, he whistled and twirled his bamboo cane. The tramp bought himself a sandwich and some ice cream for Julie. They sat down at a table with fancy ice cream chairs.

From a distance the tower clock in the town square was heard to chime 7:00. Julie glanced up in its direction. "Yer 'ave t' go 'ome?" asked the tramp.

Julie shook her head, no. At last she had found someone she could communicate with. He understood all of her actions as if she were speaking. Usually no one understood her or even cared to take notice of Julie, dismissing her as a sad mental case. Most strangers didn't realize she could write.

The old tramp and the little girl stayed in the park for two hours longer. He pushed her on the swing and they slid down the slide together. She thought he was pretty much fun for an old guy. Then he sat down on a bench to watch her. She climbed on the monkey bars and he shouted encouragement. It was a lot of fun because no one ever had ever paid any attention to her before when she was in the park, except to shoo her away.

Then she saw a police man come over to her friend and talk to him. She jumped off the monkey bars and ran over to them in time to hear the officer say, "Heard you was playin' music in the park again. You got a permit this time?" The tramp shook his head. "Just as I thought. You're coming with me."

"No…I gotta take Julie 'ome first..."

The officer took notice of Julie. "Oh. The Wilkins kid. What are you doing with her?"

"She an' I was 'avin'such a good toime, Officer O'Toole, she was playin' on them swings an' such…"

"I see… But if you can't show me no permit, Charlie, you'll have to come over to the jail."

"Ow is she gonna ge' 'ome, Bill?"

"She can come with us if she wants. I'll call her home to have someone come and get her at the police station."

Julie shook her head and waved her hands frantically, _NO!_

"She don't wan' y' t' call 'er 'ome, Bill."

"I can see that," said the policeman. "Then I'll walk her home after I deal with you, Charlie."

Julie held on to the tramp's sleeve, her eyes as big as saucers.

"It's awroigh', Julie, Officer Bill will take y' 'ome. An' I'll be outa jail in the mornin'." He turned to the officer. "Don' ge' 'er in trouble wi' 'er fam'ly, Bill. I think she'd ratha go in by 'erse'f than 'ave yer take 'er in an' 'ave a big scene." He felt Julie relax her fingers on his sleeve.

"And how in the world did ye know she'd get in trouble with her father, Mr. Charlie, is what I'm wantin' to know..." said Officer O'Toole, looking at Charlie skeptically.

"I'll 'ave t' teach y' some toime, Bill..." Charlie winked at Julie.

The officer shook his head, not understanding. "And it's Officer O'Toole to you, Mr. Charlie!"

The three entered the police station, Julie sitting down to wait, but not before grabbing the tramp's hand and squeezing his fingers. "G'bye, Julie," he said.

"Well, isn't that just sweet. Charlie, you sure can pick 'em," said the officer as he escorted Charlie to his cell.

"She's jus' a choild, Bill."

"She's mute, Charlie, and she doesn't have a brain in her head. I feel sorry for poor Sterling Wilkins with a daughter like that. Too bad. You two deserve each other though, you old reprobate. Now get in the cell. You know the drill."

Charlie did indeed know the drill. He had seen the inside of this jail more times than he wanted to admit. He was looking forward to a bed though, at least he wouldn't have to sleep outside. The "permit law" gave him an easy way to "break the law" without doing anything really bad. And he didn't care what the officer or anyone else called him; he probably deserved all the names anyway. But that little girl was not slow. She was obviously very intelligent.

He was let into the cell with several other law-breakers, after having to give up his few personal effects for the night, his carpetbag, cane and money. He crawled into the top bunk and hung his coat over the top of the bedpost, first taking out a brush to clean off the dust. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar button removing the collar. He combed the dust out of his curly hair. He put his shoes between the mattress and the spring, sticking out at the end. He did everything with a bit of a flair. He pulled the blanket over him..

Watching Charlie take care with his clothing, one of the other jail denizens said, "Oh, don't he think he's somethin' special…" Several of the others laughed. "Hey old man," taunted the same voice. "Are you royalty or somethin'?" The rest of them laughed.

"Shu' up or I'll beat yer bloody!" said Charlie, his eyes still closed.

"Oh, I'm scared," said the taunter. "The old man is going to beat us bloody!"

"Hey, old man," said another voice. "if you're royalty, what are you doin' here in jail?"

"Stole th' crown jewels. Me Mum th' queen woulda pu' me in th' Tower o' London, bu' it was full up, lads!"

The men started to laugh. Charlie put his hat over his face.

The men continued to tease Charlie, so finally he sat up in his bunk and pulled his shoes out from the mattress. He flung one shoe at the other men, followed closely by the second. They both hit their mark with pinpoint accuracy. Soon all the men were brawling and swinging punches except Charlie, who had lain down again and rolled over to face the wall with his hat over his face, wanting to get a little shut-eye.

Soon the officer on duty heard the racket and came over to stop the fight.

_Being in jail wasn't so bad, _thought Charlie, _except for the riff-raff that populated it._


	4. Nanette

**Chapter 4 - Nanette**

Julie arrived home well after 9:30 pm with Officer Bill. She thanked him by smiling and squeezing his hand. She let herself in the back door, then peered into the kitchen, where she saw Chambers the butler. He looked up and frowned when he saw Julie. "Where have you been?"

Julie shrugged her shoulders. The butler dragged her into the parlour to face her father.

"She's just arrived now, Sir."

"What are you doing out so late at night, Julia?"

She shrugged her shoulders again.

"Stupid child, just go to bed….and Chambers," the butler turned. "I want you and Maura watching her more carefully!"

Julie went to her bedroom. She had toys that had been given to her by her mother. The dolls were lined up on her dresser, in front of the dresser's mirror. In the middle was the tiny music box dancer. Julie looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't think she was pretty, but she was. She was tiny and small boned, appearing younger than eight years. She had huge blue eyes, a creamy peach-coloured complexion and long, auburn hair. She had a tiny nose and rosebud lips. When she smiled, her whole face lit up.

Julie critically looked at her features, then made a face. She stuck out her tongue at herself, then pulled it out of her mouth with her fingers. She slapped it with her other hand. Why wouldn't it let her talk? Why couldn't she be like other children?

A hot tear escaped her eye and fell on the tiny dancer in pink just below. She quickly dried the wetness from the dancer and then kissed her. As she put the little figure near her face, she heard a tiny voice. "Julie…Julie," said the voice.

Julie put the music box back down on the dresser. She looked at it closely, thinking she hadn't really heard the tiny dancer speak. She pulled out a magnifying glass from one of the drawers and peered at the dancer closely.

She could see the dancer put her hands up to her mouth and say something she couldn't hear. She picked it up and put her next to her ear.

"Julie, can you hear me?" said the ballerina in a tiny voice.

Julie nodded. Then she thought, _how can you talk?_ The tiny dancer seemed to be able to understand everything she thought about.

"My name is Nanette."

Julie kissed her finger and touched it to the dancer, who smiled. She then motioned to the girl to hold out her hand. The dancer stepped onto Julie's hand.

Then there was knocking on the door. "Julia, are you asleep?" Since he didn't expect an answer, her father knocked again and came in anyway. Julie just had enough time to put Nanette back on the dresser and jump into bed, under the covers, with all her clothes still on, including her shoes. There was no time to turn off the light though.

Mr. Wilkins entered the room. "Why aren't the lights out?" he asked angrily. She shrugged. "Julia, I'm tired of you defying me again and again. What is the matter with you?" He noticed her street clothes under the covers.

He pulled the covers off of her to reveal she even was still wearing her shoes. "What's the matter with you? You should know better than that…I know you're a stupid child, but you're nine years old, for heaven's sake. You should know better!"

Julie shook her head and held up five fingers on one hand and three on the other. "What's that…eight? Well, you never learned to count anyway…how would you know?"

He looked at her sternly. "Julia, I want to know where you were this afternoon."

She pulled out her pad of paper and wrote, _In the park_.

"What were you doing there?"

_I was in the the playground…playing …_

_"You were actually playing …with someone else?" Julie nodded, smiling._

"I suppose I should be grateful that you've found someone to play with who is your own age." Julie smiled and was about to correct him but decided not to. "But I don't like you running about on your own. At least tell Chambers or Maura where you are going next time." Julie nodded.

He happened to glance at Julie's dresser and saw the dancer laying on the dresser at the foot of the music box. He walked over to the dresser and picked up the doll. "Julia, did you break your music box?" He showed her the doll in his hand.

She shook her head, _no!_

"Then why is the doll broken off the top of it? Did you drop it?"

Julie had tears in her eyes now. She was afraid her father would break Nanette.

"You know your dear mother paid good money for that! You're a stupid child. I suppose you've broken the music box itself." He glanced over at Julie, who was sobbing silently.

"All right, Julia. I'll have Chambers take it in to the toy shop for repair tomorrow." He put the doll on top of the box and Julie relaxed a bit. She shook her head that she didn't want him to get it repaired. "You want it to stay broken?" He shook his head in dismay. "You must take after your mother's side of the family." He sighed.

"Here…" Her father pointed to a place on his face a little left of his mouth and somewhat north of his chin. "Give me a goodnight kiss, Julia." She kissed him in the designated place. He hugged her and gave her shoulders a quick and almost affectionate rub with his hand. He left the room.


	5. Employment

**Chapter 5 -Employment**

Let out of jail in the morning, the tramp tipped his hat to the policeman at the desk, picked up his things, and left the jail. It had become a lot more difficult to make a living lately. Gone were his carefree youthful days, when there was always a temporary job, a little extra money and he always seemed to be able to keep one step ahead of the cops.

It was 1959. The tramp was a lot older than he'd been in 1914. He was still in good health, strong and able to do hard physical labour, but people didn't want to hire an old tramp with tattered clothes. He was short of stature and small boned. He had always been slender, now he was skinny and looked undernourished. And lately they wouldn't even let him try to make a few dollars by playing music in the park.

Before he was reduced to begging like a bum, he decided to try again to get a job. But first, he wandered over to the fruit stand and walked back and forth. He was very hungry. The proprietor was busy with another customer and Charlie pocketed a piece of fruit, then sauntered away, whistling. There was a bread vendor with long loaves of bread in a cart. One of those would be too hard to get away with. He waited until the vendor had cut one of the long loaves into smaller sections and placed them in waxed paper bags. Again he waited until the proprietor was busy and he grabbed one of the bags and secreted it under his coat.

The tramp went back to the park and found a picnic table. He put his cane and carpetbag down and took off his hat, showing his curly, dishevelled grey hair.

The tramp cut chunks off of his partial loaf of bread with his pocket knife, then stabbed them and ate off the tip of the knife. He noticed a boy of about 12 carrying a bag of papers over his shoulder. He was handing them out to anyone in the park. The boy came over to Charlie and handed him a rolled flyer with a rubber band around it. The tramp unrolled the flyer. It was an advertisement. The print was large and dark enough for the tramp to read without glasses:

_Are you looking for work? Finding it hard to locate the perfect job? Then come see us! The Sunshine Employment Agency is looking for you and we will match you with a job you will be proud to have! Come see us…_ The next line contained the address.

The boy with the flyers was just a short ways away. "'Ey, lad…come back 'ere!" shouted the tramp. The boy turned around and came back to the tramp's picnic table.

"Yeah? What do you want, Mister?"

"Is this true, wha' this says, they 'elp y' ge' a job?"

"I dunno, mister, you'll have to go there yourself. I just give out flyers."

"Oh. Thank y' anyway, lad."

He smiled and tipped his hat and the boy touched the rim of his cap too, then turned back to his work. The tramp was excited; perhaps he could find a job without doing a lot of walking about for days on end looking for a place that would hire him, with few results. Lately, it had been quite exhausting to search out a job and the opportunities seemed to have become less and less with each passing day.

The tramp finished his meal and found the agency. He stood in line for some time and was then seated to wait some more. He started to get bored. There was nothing to do. He played with his cane and was about to poke the man sitting next to him who had a very loud, annoying voice. Just then he was handed a form to fill out. It took him forever to fill it out. The problem was he couldn't see the tiny words. He could read, but needed glasses. Some of the things he couldn't fill out anyway, such as "address" and "phone." He couldn't really write down where he had worked before because he didn't know the exact addresses and phone numbers of the places he had transiently worked lately. Squinting, he wrote a few things.

He was getting discouraged and stood up, getting ready to toss the application into a waste basket, when a hand stopped him. He turned to see a pretty young woman with brown hair and eyes. Her smile lit up her face. "Is the application a little bit daunting?"

"Mybe…"

She took the application from him. "Come in my office. Let's look at what you have here." She indicated an office down the hall and sat across from him at a desk. "I'm Sara Wilkins," she stated, smiling again. She looked at the application. "Where do you live?" She looked over at the tramp and he looked very uncomfortable.

"I'm in need o' a job, Miss, so I c'n foind me a propa plyce t' live…"

"I see. Well, we'll just leave that blank until you are properly located. Now I do need to know what jobs you have done in the past."

"I done ever'thing y' c'n name, wi' mybe jus' a few excep'ions…"

"Have you ever had experience with children?"

"I brough' up me own adopted son, by mese'f, fer some years…"

"For how long?"

"Over foive years, Miss."

"Why was it only five years?"

"'Is Mum wanted 'im back…"

"Would you like to try looking after some children…for pay this time?"

The tramp looked dubious. "Ain't tha' a job fer a _woman?"_

Sara smiled. "The family has tried women in the past. They don't seem to stay. Perhaps an older, more experienced man like yourself would be able to deal with them."

Charlie still looked undecided and uncomfortable. "'Ow many childern are y' talkin' abou'?"

"Just two," said Sara. She consulted the folder. "Aged under ten years old…."

"Oh. Tha' could mean they're lit'tle babies…or a lo' older…Wha' else do they say?"

"That's all that's written here about the children."

"Wha' do I do there?

"You just look after them. It's a live-in position. You will make meals for them and entertain them and put them to bed. There is a tutor that comes every day. You will be paid and receive meals, room and board."

"Tha' sounds loike a p'sition fer a _nanny."_

"Well, it could be called that if we hired a woman. But we would call a male person a _child minder."_

"Oh. So why does thi' family need a …one o' them wha' y' said?"

"The mother passed away several years ago. The father travels extensively in his work; he is rarely home. They have a butler, a cook and a maid, but those servants are busy running the household. The father wants someone who can concentrate on the children."

"Why did y' think o' me for this job when y' go' all koinda other people out there more qualified than me?"

"At this employment agency, we're looking for people that need work and would be unlikely to be hired elsewhere. People like yourself, Charlie. We're trying to get everyone to work."

"Oh. So I still wanna know why y' think I c'n do this job?"

Sara laughed. "Are you interviewing me, too?" He laughed too.

"Charlie, don't kick yourself in the teeth. I study not only résumés and applications; I study people too. I am good at matching up people and jobs. Certainly I've had a few misses, but not lately. Seriously, I think you'll do well at the job. However, before you accept, I do need to tell you one thing; this family has had six nannies before who haven't stayed. They were all young women, and perhaps were scared off because they were inexperienced. A man sometimes can be more firm with unruly children. That's why this job position was given to me to fill. I sometimes make matches that may at first seem "odd," but work out well in the end. Are you interested in the position?"

The tramp wondered if this woman would have been so eager to have him watch the children if she would have known how he had brought up his own son to be streetwise like himself and the two of them had not always been on the right side of the law. But that was in the past and he was willing to do anything within reason.

Charlie stood up and stuck out his hand to shake hers. "I shall give it a troy…."

"Wonderful," smiled Sara. "Here is the address and phone. Call before you arrive to make an appointment. You can use the phone in the next room."

Charlie tipped his hat and smiled. "Thank y', Ma'am, yer very koind."


	6. Waiting

**Chapter 6 - Waiting **

Charlie made the call to the prospective employer and was told to come the next day promptly at nine o'clock in the morning.

Charlie hoped the job would pan out. He needed it badly, for he had no money on him whatsoever. And he needed to get work, especially before winter set in. Since he had gotten older, the cold had made his bones ache and his joints were often sore. He tried not to sleep outside anymore if he could help it.

The old tramp walked over to a bench and sat in the noonday sun, closing his eyes. The warmth felt like a blanket covering him and comforting him.

He must have fallen asleep in the blissful warmth when he felt a soft touch on his arm. He opened his eyes to see his little friend of the day before, Julie. He smiled and told her to sit down.

"So 'ow are y' t'day, me pret'y lit'le lydy?" She held out her arms wide to say, I'm very fine!

"Wha' are y' plannin' t' do t'day, Julie? She shrugged.

"I 'ave good news; I am seein' someone abou' a job tomorra. Ain't tha' foine?"

She nodded and smiled and touched his hand.

"I c'n spend some toime wi' y' today if y'' please. After tha' I dunno when I'll be able t' see yer…" Julie looked a bit disappointed. "Shoul' we go to th' playground again?" She nodded. They started across the lawn to the other side of the park. Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie spotted the Officer O'Toole.

The policeman soon caught up with the pair. "All right Charlie, what are ye up to today? Anything I oughta know about in your bag?"

"Wha's yer name, again, Officer? Me mem'ry ain't wha' it usta be…" Charlie remembered all right, but liked to spar a bit with the policeman. They had a friendly, though adversarial relationship.

"It's Officer William O'Toole, Mr. Charlie. You know right well!"

"I say, tha's roigh'…Officer Bill, and o'course y' know me li'tle friend, Julie."

"We've met, and it's Officer O'Toole to you, Charlie."

"Tha's roigh', Bill. Julie, this is Officer O'Toole, bu' y' c'n call 'im Bill." Julie was giggling silently by now.

The policeman was used to Charlie's teasing. He rolled his eyes. "Charlie, what's in your bag?" he asked again.

Charlie handed the bag to Officer O'Toole, who looked inside. He saw the tramp's violin and several other items and closed it again.

"Well, you're clean today, Charlie, nothing stolen in there." He gave the tramp a once-over. "And you don't appear to be drunk. Remember, no soliciting money on the streets without a permit. All right, you can go."

"Bill, ain't it illegal t' search someone fer no reason?"

"It's Officer Bill…I mean Officer O'Toole," said the policeman in exasperation. "And there is a reason, you look suspicious, don't have a job, and you've been picked up for various infringements of the law _how many times lately?"_

"I don't r'member, Bill." The policeman knew that Charlie sometimes did things deliberately to get a warm bed at the jail. It was a little game he played and Officer O'Toole was on to it. Charlie never did anything really bad. But he did enjoy sparring with the tramp.

"No, I don't remember either. Charlie, call me Officer O'Toole in front of the girl. She can hear even if she isn't too bright…"

"Bill, she ain't stupid. I think she's a lot smarter than me."

"Well, that's not sayin' much…"

"She's prob'bly smarter than you too, Bill."

"Get out of here, Charlie. And no loiterin'!"

Charlie gave Julie a wink and she smiled back.

Julie and the tramp spent the day in the park and in late afternoon, Julie went home. It was still light outside and she wouldn't let him walk her home, for she feared her father would forbid her to see Charlie. She ran home alone.

The tramp hoped that he would get the live-in position tomorrow if the children weren't too horrible. So just for tonight he had to find a place to sleep.

As the darkness became more oppressive, the tramp headed for the lodging house where he could rent a bed for the night. A cool autumn wind started to blow and the temperature dropped. A light rain started to fall. He tucked his cane in his breast pocket and opened his carpetbag pulling out a very thin blanket, folding it over and put it around his shoulders pinning it with a large safety pin.

The tramp arrived at the lodging house in short order. He stopped outside, checking his pockets, hoping to find a coin of any sort that he may have overlooked. There was nothing. He checked again. He sat down on a bench in front of the place and opened his carpetbag, pulling out the violin and checking the inside of the bag and its pockets. Still nothing. He closed the bag and crept around to the back and found a window ajar just a crack. He carefully pushed the window up enough to climb in. He closed it after him.

It was as black as a moonless night inside the place, but it was the large common room at the lodging house all right. He could hear men snoring and smelled the odour of filthy clothes, stale alcohol and the mustiness of the ancient building. He got down on his knees and crawled about until he found a the edge of a bed. He couldn't take the chance of being seen, so he snuck under the bed, lay down on the floor, covered himself with his blanket and used his carpetbag for a pillow.

It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but at least he was out of the elements. He fell into a fitful sleep, vaguely noticing when a mouse ran over his foot and when the springs creaked as the sleeper above him turned.


	7. Charlie Meets the Family

**Chapter 7 - Charlie Meets the Family**

In the morning, Charlie awoke on the lodging house floor, remembering he was under someone's bed where he had hidden the night before. Even though it was out of the wind and elements, he was still very cold and stiff. He felt something tickling his foot, inside his boot. He pushed out from under the bed. The person who had been sleeping above him had left already. He was at the back of the room and he glanced over at the proprietor, sitting in a chair, still sleeping. He sat on the bed and took off his shoe, removing the mouse who had snuck inside the hole in the bottom of his boot.

He took out his clothes brush to get rid of the dust from the floor. He was very sore from sleeping on the hard floor. He rubbed his knees. He folded up his blanket and placed it in his bag again. He put on his little cutaway coat and his tatty gloves.

The proprietor woke up momentarily as Charlie passed him and the tramp tipped his hat. "Hey," said the man, standing up. "I don't remember you coming in here last night! How did you get in? And where's my pay for the bed?"

"Y' musta been sleepin'," said Charlie. "He pointed to the last cot in the back where he had stayed all night. As the man turned to look, Charlie took off out the door running down the street with his odd spay-footed gait. He wasn't perhaps as fast as he had been some years ago, but he could run lickety-split when the adrenaline started pumping.

"Hey, you, come back here!" yelled the man, to no avail.

Charlie stopped running as soon as he could turn a corner. He was a little out of breath. He checked his pocket watch. It was 8:00. He had to appear at his prospective employer's place at 9:00 on the dot. He had enough time to clean up a bit. He stopped at a coffee shop where he sometimes ate when he had money. He went into the washroom and pulled out his straightedge from his carpetbag. He soaped his face and shaved, trimming his moustache. He brushed off his clothes and then he looked at his hair. He was badly in need of a haircut, but there wasn't much he could do about that now. He combed his curly grey hair and plastered it down with water into some semblance or order. He brushed his clothes and carefully tied his bow tie.

He came up to the waitress whom he knew from previous visits, when he had had some money for food. He put his hand around her waist and turned her around. "Molly, c'n I ask y' a favour?"

"Oh, hi Charlie. What can I do for you?" She was an attractive brunette in her early thirties with a pleasant demeanor.

"I'm in th' process o' procurin' a job; bu' me cash funds are a bi' low t'day; wonder'd if I could 'ave some breakfas' on credit? I'll pay y' nex' week when I ge' me firs' pay..."

"Sure Charlie. You're a good customer. Just sit down and I'll get you something." Molly brought him breakfast and coffee. He ate and then thanked Molly.

"Charlie, my boss says it's okay, the breakfast is on the house."

"Why thank y' Molly!" said the tramp. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before he left.

He had memorized the address and found the place without any problem. It was a huge town house in a fashionable and expensive area of the city. He rapped at the door and was let in by the butler. He asked to see Mr. Wilkins and the butler took his hat and cane and his bag. The tramp was shown into the parlour where he waited for the master.

Very soon a trim man of medium height, wearing formal clothes appeared. Sterling Wilkins was in his mid forties, good looking, but of a stern demeanor. He had sandy hair parted in the middle and a blonde moustache. His eyes were light blue.

Charlie stood when the man entered the room, which was furnished lavishly with treasured pieces of art that looked like they were from many varied places in the world, but mostly oriental.

"I'm Sterling Wilkins. I understand you've been sent here by the agency to look after my children. I've read your résumé, and frankly, I'm impressed." Charlie wondered how the man could be impressed with his resume; he hadn't given Sara much to put on it.

Mr. Wilkins went on. "I hadn't even thought of a male person to look after them, however, the snivelling little females that I've had in the past have only lasted a short time with the children, so I'm willing to try something new. But I insist on strict discipline. Education is taken care of by the tutor who comes in every day. You will be living here and tending to the children's needs, other than education, day and night. Is that understood?"

Charlie was a bit overwhelmed, so he kept nodding. He figured if it didn't work out, he would bow out gracefully and go back to the employment agency and try again. Or he might sneak out the back door and head for the next town…

"I'd like for you to meet my children, Charlie." He pulled on the bell cord for the butler and gave him the request. The butler appeared in a moment with a seven year old boy with red hair and brown eyes, including lots of freckles. "This is my son, Denis." As soon as his father turned his back to whisper something to the butler, the little boy kicked Charlie in the shin. The tramp grabbed his shin and fell backward to a sitting position on the fancy settee.

Mr. Wilkins turned and saw Charlie clutching his leg. "Are you all right?" he said, frowning.

Charlie nodded and stood up again, frowning at the boy, who was looking very innocent. The butler brought a little girl in then, of about eight years of age. She had auburn hair and blue eyes. She looked surprised when she saw Charlie and ran over to him, hugging him in glee. Charlie was surprised too. It was Julie, his little mute friend!

It was Mr. Wilkins' turn to be surprised. "Do you know Julia, Charlie?"

"Yeah. I met 'er in the park an' talk'd to 'er."

"Julia, I told you to stay away from strangers! I will expect you, Charlie, to keep track of my children at all times and stop Julia, especially, from running about by herself. She irritates other people and could get hurt by associating with strangers." He rubbed his moustache. "She is not very bright, you know."

Julie was standing next to Charlie and he put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I'll see tha' she don't get in no trouble. What about th' boy, Denis?"

"Oh he's a wonderful child. Never gets in a bit of trouble. You won't have a any problems with him."

"Thank y', sir," said Charlie, a bit sceptically.

"Now here is their schedule and what you must do for them every day. You understand you will be paid for your work, in addition to room and board. I will expect you to wear a uniform, which we will provide. I don't want to see you in those tatty clothes! I am gone a good deal of the time, so my butler, Chambers, will pay you each week and assess your success with the children. If there are any problems, you will go straight to him, do you understand?"

Charlie nodded.

"However, if there are serious problems with your handling of the children and they cannot be rectified, Chambers has the right to dismiss you. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Sir, Mr. Wilkins," said Charlie. Wilkins left the room and Denis stepped on Charlie's foot on purpose.

"Oww," said Charlie. He sat down on the settee and pulled the child toward him. "Why're y' doin' tha', Denis?"

"I don't like to be called Denis! Call me Denny!"

"Awroigh', Denny…why did y' kick me an' step on me foot? That ain't noice!"

"You talk funny, Mister."

"That ain't no reason t' kick a person…" Denny stuck out his lower lip. "I want us t' be friends, Denny."

Julie was sitting quietly, looking at her fingernails. "Yer sis ain't being naughty, Denny."

"She's too stupid to be naughty! She can't even talk!" At this Julie started crying. She kicked her little brother and he hit her back. Charlie pulled the two apart.

"Julie, stop tha' kickin'! You ain't makin' things betta! And Denny, she ain't stupid. She's very smart. Apol'gise to 'er…say yer sorry!"

"I'm not sorry!" said Denny. "She is _too_ stupid!"

"Denny, if y' don't be'ave, I'm gonna take y' over me knee and give y' a good smackin' on yer backsoide!"

"You can't do that, ha ha, Chambers will sack you for sure!"

"I ain't afraid o' Chambers or no one else! If 'e sacks me, so be it. Bu' until then, I ain't puttin' up with none o' yer sass!"

Denny began to realize he couldn't bully this old man like he had the young ladies before him. Julie was crying because she didn't want Charlie to be dismissed. Her brother always picked on her, even though he was younger. Because he could speak, he had the advantage and his father didn't seem to think the boy could do anything wrong. Julie tugged on Charlie's arm and tried to tell him what she was thinking, that she didn't want him to be dismissed from the job because of her rotten little brother. He understood the gist of what she wanted to say.

"Denny, apol'gise to yer sis and we'll go do somethin' spl'ndid t'day. Wha d' y' say t' 'er?"

Denny hung his head and mumbled a few words. "I didn't 'ear y'," said Charlie, cupping his hand to his ear.

"Sorry, Julie," said Denny a little louder. Julie smiled and hugged her naughty little brother. He hugged her back.

Charlie glanced at the paper with the daily duties neatly written out in miniscule writing. He squinted at it and moved the paper closer, then further. Julie started rummaging in a drawer and came up with a pair of rimless spectacles. Charlie put them on and thanked her. They made everything much more readable.

The old tramp and the children did indeed have a "splendid" time that day, at the playground. Charlie wore his regular clothes when they went to the park and wore his uniform at home. Denny behaved himself rather well for the remainder of the day, because he thought Charlie probably was serious about paddling him if he were naughty.

For dinner, Cook made the meals and Charlie served the children and ate with them. He began to think he would really enjoy this job.

That evening, Charlie tucked Denny in bed in his room. "Can we do some more fun stuff again tomorrow, Charlie?"

"I say, we'll 'ave another jolly toime. Bu' y' 'ave school t'morra wi' th' tutor…p' aps afterward."

The boy smiled and closed his eyes. Charlie turned out the light and built a fire in the fireplace in the small sitting room down the hall from his own assigned room. Julie's room was next to her brother's and Charlie's across from them. Julie had gone in her bedroom and Charlie expected she would go to bed also. The fire was warm and the flickering flames soon made him nod and fall asleep in the large chair next to the fireplace.


	8. Sara

**Chapter 8 - Sara**

_Charlie was sitting in the hall outside Mabel's small apartment. She had left him at the auto races, for some odd reason, and taken off in her automobile! He had been having such a grand time but she was being such a spoil sport. Not that there wasn't a shred of guilt in his heart for treating her so badly. That's why he had walked the five miles to her place and knocked at the door, ready to apologise. She had angrily told him to go away._

_Instead, he sat down in a heavy carved wooden chair that was in the alcove across from Mabel's door. The maroon flocked Victorian wallpaper and dark-stained wood trim matched his dark mood as he fidgeted, trying to think what he could say to get back in her good graces. She could be so difficult sometimes! He got up and started to pace._

_He knocked at her door again. "Mabel, ducks, won't y' come ou' an' talk wi' me? Mabel, I'm sorry, really…Mabel…?"_

_He kept it up for a several minutes and suddenly the door was unlocked and flung open. "Don't you 'ducks' me, Mr. Smarty-pants! I'm sick of you standing me up…Can't we ever have a decent time together without you wrecking it some way?" She started to cry. "What's the matter with you anyway?"_

_He put his arm around her and wiped the tears off her face with his handkerchief. She blew her nose in it and he put it back in his breast pocket and pulled up the tips to make it look smart. "Charlie, when did you last wash that thing? It smells mouldy!"_

"_I dunno. All I know is tha' I miss y' when y' ain't around…I think I'm in love wi' y', Mabel…"_

_She looked at him straight in the eye and said, "I truly wish you meant that, Charlie."_

"_I do…I really do…I wanna be wi' yer ever' moment of ever' day…"_

_He was so handsome, his black curls shining in the sunlight coming in the hall window and his dark blue eyes looking so sadly right now…it melted her heart._

_Just then Ben, an acquaintance of Charlie's came up the stairs. "Oh good, you're here, Charlie. Are you ready? Are you coming? I can meet you over at the boxing match in 15 minutes. I even got us each a date….better hurry so we won't miss the first round…"_

_Charlie tried to shush Ben, but it was too late. Mabel pushed him and he landed on his backside on the floor in the hall, his legs flipping up like a wooden doll. She started throwing everything she could lay her hands on at Charlie and his friend. She chased them down the stairs, then collapsed into a chair at the bottom landing and started to cry again._

* * *

He awoke to someone gently shaking him. "Charlie, wake up…I wanted to talk to you….Charlie…"

He opened his eyes to see the young woman from the employment agency.

"Miss?" He stood up and looked at her questioningly.

"It's okay, Charlie. Just have a seat." She sat in the chair across from him, also next to the fireplace.

He looked puzzled to see her. "'Ow didja ge' in 'ere? Are y' checkin' up on me?"

"Chambers let me in, Charlie. And no, I'm not checking up on you."

"Then why…? Yer nyme is Sara… Miss Sara…I can't r'member yer las' nyme…"

"It's Wilkins."

"Wilkins…ain't tha' strynge…the Master's nyme is Wilkins too…"

"Yes, it is. He's my uncle."

"Yer uncle?"

"Yes, Charlie. Why is that so odd?" He looked confused, so Sara explained, "I guess I haven't been completely honest with you. I saw you in the park with my niece Julie and I had never seen her communicate so well with anyone before. I followed you both for a bit and was rather impressed. I work at the employment agency, and you know that we had recently tried to find a proper nanny for the children...we had tried with six different young women and none of them worked out. I am sure you have met Denny."

"I 'ave."

"Denny's the reason it's so hard to keep nannies in the household, although my uncle seems to think he's an angelic child. When I saw you with Julie, well, I had never seen her so happy. You were really communicating with her; no one else outsde the family really talks to her, unless they're being nasty. How are you handling Denny?"

"I think Denny an' I're friends now…Bu' 'ow didja know tha' I need'd a job an' 'ow couldja be sure tha' I'd ge' a flyer an come to th' employm'nt agency?"

"I did a little innocent spying. I talked to Officer O'Toole. I found out you needed a job and told our hired boy to make sure he gave you a flyer the next time he saw you."

"So y' talked t' Officer Bill. Then y' know I been in jail more than I been out…I done lotsa things against th' law…"

"Are you bragging about it, Charlie?" smiled Sara. "Yes, I asked him about that too. Just between you and me, he doesn't think you're a bad fellow…he suspects you like to be in jail overnight rather than sleep outside. Is he right, Charlie?"

Charlie hesitated. "Mybe…"

"In any case, I know you'll do well. And we won't tell my uncle unless there is a need to do that."

The old tramp stared hard at the young woman. "Are you blackmailin' me?"

"Maybe," she said coyly. "But it's for the best, all the way around. You can handle it, Charlie, I know you can."

"'Ow d' y' know tha'?"

"I have a degree in psychology, Charlie. I study people, like I said before."

"So why did Mr. Wilkins say he was impressed wi' me ….wha' was tha' word?"

She thought for a moment. "Oh you mean résumé. The list of places you have previously worked."

"Bu' I wasn't able t' give y' much on tha' account…"

"Let's just say I just made it look a bit more impressive. I'll tell my uncle in due time, if it's necessary."

"Tha' ain't gonna ge' me in no trouble?"

"No, I will explain if he questions anything. I doubt that he will."

"Wha' does Mr. Wilkins do fer a livin'?"

"My uncle visits exotic, far-away places and purchases antiquities for museums and as you can see, antiques to furnish his home also."

"Yeah, I noticed some very strynge an' beaut'ful things 'ere…" Charlie went on, "So the childern's mum died a few years back?"

"Yes, several years ago she developed a severe cough and weakness and the doctors couldn't help her."

"Musta been 'ard on yer uncle."

"I suppose it was. Uncle Sterling doesn't show much emotion. It was actually harder on my grandmother, Uncle's mother. She was very close to Aprille, her daughter in law. She took it very hard. So many of the family have passed away, Charlie. But my grandmother is still living and doing quite well. She's not very old, I think she's around your age, Charlie."

The tramp smiled at her compliment. "I'm prob'ly older than y' think, Miss Sara."

"Well, no matter, I think you're a nice looking man."

"Thank y' me lady, yer very koind."

"Perhaps you'll meet my grandmother sometime. She drops by the house now and then. Her husband, my grandfather, passed on a few years back. She misses him terribly and gets rather lonely."

"So sorry t' 'ear that. I'd best be goin' t' bed, Miss Sara. 'Ave meself a long day t' morra wi' them childern."

"Good night Charlie. I will see you by and by."


	9. Mabel and Charlie Have Words

**Chapter 9 - Charlie and Mabel Have Words**

Charlie left the sitting room and had his hand on the doorknob of his room when Julie came up behind him and pulled on his arm.

"Wha' is it, Julie? I was about t' ge' t' sleep…"

She pulled him toward her bedroom and opened the door. She motioned him in. She pointed toward her dresser where the dolls sat lined up in a row. In front of them was the little music box with the ballet dancer on top. She pointed to it. The dancer was again poised upon her music box pedestal, not broken anymore as her father had thought.

"It's very pret' ty, Julie…Does it play a tune?"

Julie nodded and wound up the music box. Nanette whirled around as the music played. Julie looked at her through her magnifying glass. The tramp watched her. Then she handed him the glass. He watched the dancer for a moment or two and handed it back to Julie. "Very noice, Julie. I need t' ge' some sleep, me girl, yer too, we 'ave another long day a'ead o' us t' morra."

She nodded, resigned that Nanette wasn't going to speak tonight. Charlie tucked her in bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She smiled and he turned out the lights and closed the door.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Julie awoke with a start. She heard the music box. She had left it on the dresser after Charlie had gone. She had so wanted him to see Nanette moving around by herself and speaking.

She sat up and went over to the dresser. She picked up her flashlight and shone it on the music box. It was playing but Nanette was just whirling away mechanically. Julie pushed the button to stop the music. She went back to bed. As soon as she pulled the covers over her, the music started again.

She got up again and thought, "Nanette, please don't wake everyone up." She put her finger to her lips as if to say "Ssssshhhh."

Suddenly Nanette stepped down from the music box and the music stopped.

"Julie, pick me up," said the tiny dancer. Julie put out her palm and the dancer stepped upon it. She put her hand near her ear. "Julie, what is your fondest wish?"

Julie stopped a moment and then the thoughts came to her mind: _I wish my Daddy were happy and could spend more time with Denny and me. I wish Grandma weren't so sad… and I wish that Charlie could stay with us for a very long time. I wish that Denny and I could get along. Oh, maybe I shouldn't wish so many things…"_

"That's all right, Julie, your wishes are not selfish. I will speak to you again tomorrow." Julie nodded happily. She was delighted to hear Nanette speak again and she put the dancer down. Nanette hopped up on her pedestal and became inanimate again.

* * *

Charlie fell asleep wondering why Mabel kept coming up in his dreams so much lately. He had always regretted the foolishness of those years so long ago. He had truly loved Mabel and had lost her because of his carelessness. What else could his dreams be trying to tell him? The memories were bittersweet.

_The night Mabel broke up with him was permanently etched in Charlie's mind. He had made up with her numerous times and assumed it would always be that way. Mabel would always take him back. _

_He had saved his meagre wages for months and bought himself some new clothes so he could impress Mabel. That last night he had taken her to a fancy dinner at a mansion owned by a friend of Mabel's father. There was dancing after dinner and he and Mabel looked impressive as they gracefully moved across the floor. The tramp was a wonderful dancer and Mabel was the loveliest girl on the dance floor. The band was playing __The Music Box Waltz__. It was a favourite of Mabel's._

"_Tha's our song," Charlie whispered to Mabel. She smiled and nodded, her large brown eyes looking into his dark blue ones. A tiny woman, Mabel made even the small tramp look a bit tall. They made a charming couple, Charlie with his new clothes, cutaway coat with tails, white bow tie, standup collar and waistcoat; Mabel in a pale blue gown with dark blue trim, gathered at the waist with its full skirt ending just above her ankles. She wore a small matching hat with feathers and several strands of pearls about her neck. Her blue pumps with the strap in front showed off her slim ankles. She was pleased to see that Charlie was wearing the silver cuff links she had given him._

_Ambrose decided to cut in. He danced with Mabel and the tramp danced with Lila, Ambrose's tall blonde girl. She was beautiful, but a horrible dancer. Taller than he was by quite a bit, she stepped all over Charlie's feet and kept apologising. Finally he had enough and he surreptitiously pulled out one of his stick pins and stuck her in her backside as they were dancing. She screamed and he giggled, then ran over to Mabel and tapped Ambrose on the shoulder to cut in. Ambrose shook his head. Charlie kicked him in the shin. While he was jumping up and down on one foot, Charlie whisked Mabel away._

"_Charlie, that was rude."_

_He grinned. "Bu' it was fun an' I go' you back!"_

_Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie saw Ambrose coming after him. He left Mabel in the middle of the dance floor and ran into the next room, Ambrose close on his tail. There were waiters with trays of desserts entering. Charlie ran into one waiter, whose cart turned over. The tramp jumped over it gracefully. Ambrose fell over the waiter and the cart, getting cream pies all over his dark suit. Charlie ran up the staircase to the next floor, the mezzanine. There was an alcove opening onto a balcony. He opened the doors to the balcony and crouched down out of sight, hoping Ambrose would keep on going._

_Ambrose was fuming with anger. He saw the door just a bit ajar and ran out on the balcony, looking around and didn't see Charlie in the darkness where he was now standing with his face turned toward the wall, his body flattened against it. Ambrose leaned over the balcony, scanning the area below. There was a swimming pool below, but the water was still. There was no one in sight and he was at a loss to think where the tramp had gone. Suddenly he felt a pin prick in his derriere which startled him so that he fell over the railing. He was able to hold on for just a moment before he fell into the swimming pool below._

_In horror, Charlie realized what had happened and he took an amazing leap off the balcony into the pool. He swam toward the now unconscious Ambrose and pulled him out of the pool, struggling a bit because Ambrose was much bigger than the tramp. A crowd was starting to gather. Ambrose coughed and spit out some water, sat up and coughed again._

_Lila ran over to Ambrose and comforted him. Mabel came over to Charlie. "What happened? Why did you run off?"_

"_We was jus' 'avin' a lit 'tle fun, Mabel, it ain't nothin'._

"_How did you and Ambrose get into the pool in your good clothing? This had better be good, Charlie." Mabel was frowning and tapping her foot. He didn't like that look. It always spelled trouble._

_He giggled, which was definitely a mistake. "I jus' used me secret weapon… We was up on th' balcony, see up there? 'E was a bi' surprised an' fell off into th' pool."_

_Mabel hauled off and slapped him in the face so hard he fell into the pool again. "That's not funny, Charlie! You both could have been hurt badly!" she shouted loud enough so everyone heard. "I'm leaving and you can find your own way home. And by the way, don't bother coming around to see me anymore!"_

_Charlie was paddling in the water to keep himself afloat and he pulled himself out of the pool. His good clothes were ruined and he had probably ruined Ambrose's clothes too. He walked, wet and dripping, into the house and asked for a towel. Then he tried to find someone to drive him home. No one wanted the wet tramp dripping all over their automobile, but finally a couple was nice enough to let him sit in their rumble seat._

_On arriving home, without even having changed clothes, he went downstairs to the public phone. He called Mabel to apologise._

_She answered. "Oh, it's you. Look Charlie, we're through. I am sick of you embarrassing me with your ridiculous escapades. Don't bother coming around either. I am not opening my door to the likes of you. The sooner I start to forget you, the better."_

"_You ain't lettin' me ge' in a word edgewise, Mabel. I'm sorry. It won't 'appen again."_

"_You're right. It __won't__ happen again. I won't be anywhere near you to __see__ it happen. You can just go woo some other girl who likes to date a … a…a tramp…that's all you are … an irresponsible tramp!" She started sobbing at this point. "You're rude and just a troublemaker. I don't need to be around your kind. Now I don't want to see you ever again!" She slammed down the phone._

_He knew she meant it this time. He went back to his room and paced for a bit. His eyes filled up with tears he didn't want to admit were there. A few made it down his cheeks. He pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. He looked at the handkerchief and sniffed it. Mabel was right. It __was__ mouldy._

_He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. He loved Mabel. He just couldn't behave himself around her. Well, he couldn't behave himself around anyone. He was just too full of the dickens and it always came out at the wrong time._

_He sniffled again and wiped his nose on his sleeve. He took off his jacket and hung it on the bedpost. He took off his cufflinks, the ones Mabel had given him for his last birthday. He kissed them as if they were Mabel herself and put them in the drawer. He was taking off his shirt when he saw something on the inside of his right wrist. What was that?_

_He looked at it closer. Then he remembered. It was a telephone number. A pretty brunette he had met in the park much earlier in the day had given him her phone number and he had written it on his wrist. He grabbed his jacket again, buttoned his shirt and ran downstairs again to the public phone and called the number…_


	10. The Looking Glass

**Chapter 10 - The Looking Glass**

The tramp awoke suddenly. He felt depressed after this last dream about Mabel. He was reliving that long ago time and it seemed so real. He thought about how badly he had treated Mabel and his eyes filled up with tears. He checked the alarm clock and it was two o'clock in the morning.

The bittersweet memories of Mabel had never left him. He had learned from the experience though. He had treated all of his subsequent girlfriends with much more respect. He made an effort to be polite. But Mabel was gone, years ago and Charlie had moved along with his life. He didn't want to think about that painful episode any more.

* * *

The next morning, after a fitful night full of snatches of dreams, awakening suddenly, and then falling asleep again, the tramp awoke as tired as when he had gone to sleep the night before. He awoke the children and they ate breakfast together while Maura the maid tidied their bedrooms. Then Denny's tutor arrived and Julie and the tramp retired to the cozy sitting room with the fireplace. It felt good on this chilly morn to sit near the fire.

Julie brought her music box into the room and wound it, watching the tiny dancer whirl. Charlie watched her with a smile. He knew the melody; it was a long-forgotten tune and took him a minute to recognize it. He retrieved his violin from his bedroom and began to play the melody along with the music box. When the music stopped, he said to Julie. "I know tha' song. It's called Th' Music Box Waltz. It was our song, me an' a lady I used t' know. Long toime ago."

Charlie put the violin aside and sat down on the large, comfortable sofa near the fire. Julie put the music box next to the violin on the table and sat beside the tramp. He put his arm around her and lulled by the fire, he fell asleep. Julie snuggled next to him and fell asleep too.

A short while later, they were both awakened as the music box began to play. Charlie rubbed his eyes, puzzled, and Julie picked up the music box.

Julie was holding the music box to her ear. She acted as if she were listening to someone and she nodded several times. Then she wrote out carefully, "What is your fondest wish?" and handed it to Charlie.

Charlie glanced at her. "If it could come true, I would wish tha' y'd be able t' speak, Julie." He hesitated. "An' if I 'ad another, I would wish tha' I 'ad n't been s' mean to me friend Mabel," he said wistfully.

Julie plucked the tiny dancing doll off the music box and set the box down on the table again.

There was a large, full length mirror on one of the walls. Julie, clutching Nanette, took Charlie's hand, pulling him out of the chair and led him toward the mirror. He wondered what she was going to do when she stepped _into_ the mirror with one foot.

Suddenly Charlie and Julie were sucked into the mirror in a wild stream of colours and myriad sounds. They went rushing past things so fast that their senses could not understand any of it. Charlie pulled Julie toward him and held her close, for he was the more fearful of the two and didn't want her to be hurt. He had never seen anything like this in his life and the feeling of falling was exhilarating, but also frightening. Julie was smiling, enjoying the ride, trusting that Charlie would take care of her.

After a time, and neither of them could put a number on that period of time, they came to rest lightly, and on their feet in a bright, sunny and warm clearing. The grass was green and there were brightly coloured flowers everywhere. Every type of evergreen and deciduous tree you could think of grew near, surrounding the clearing like a protecting wall.

Nanette was still in Julie's hand and she asked to be set down. As soon as she touched the ground, she began to grow until she was the size of an adult human. She smiled. Nanette was beautiful. She no longer wore the pink tutu and painted hair. She had long golden hair, curling down her back and tied with long silver and gold ribbons. She wore a long pink and green gown of a filmy, yet opaque material which moved and floated with the slightest breeze, and streamers with tiny flowers growing on them.

She smiled at the confused and astonished looks of her companions. "Julie, my dear, come here." She crouched down in the grass and Julie came over to her. In the bright sunlight, Charlie thought Julie was an even prettier child than he had noticed before. She had almost a glow about her.

"Julie, Charlie has a special wish for you. I want you to speak to me…say my name…Nanette…"

Julie looked confused, but tried to speak. After her first attempt, the word came out. "Nanette…Nanette! How is it that I can speak?"

"I will explain later. Go hug your friend Charlie.

Julie turned to hug Charlie and then her eyes opened wide. "Charlie…you…look…." said Julie.

Charlie looked confused and glanced at Julie…"Wha'?"

"Wonderful!" said Julie, her eyes still wide.

Charlie glanced at Nanette in puzzlement. She bade them follow her to a small still pond nearby with a mirrored surface. "Look!" she whispered.

Charlie looked at his reflection in the pool, then moved the water with his hand, disbelieving. When the water stilled, he looked again. His hair was shiny, black and curly as it had been when he was twenty-five years old. His moustache was black again. His face was smooth with the glow of youth upon it. He looked at his hands and they told the same story. He glanced down at his clothes. Instead of his uniform, he wore his usual street clothes. But they were new and fit perfectly. Not a tear, tatter or patch was to be seen. He glanced up again in confusion. "How…" was all he could say.

"Let me explain," said Nanette. She bade them sit in the grass and they listened in rapt attention. "I am an alien to your world. This is my world. You may have heard about Alice's adventures in the Looking Glass?"

"Yes, I read it," said Julie. Charlie shook his head.

"Alice is a girl in the book, Charlie, who has various and strange adventures after entering a looking glass world. The story is obviously fiction, but the place is real, although skewed in its telling, for the author had never actually been there in reality. But this is the reality. This is the land behind the Looking Glass, albeit only a tiny part. I am one of its inhabitants. I often visit your world to bring a bit of gladness to those who would show real love.

"I had asked Julie a question earlier, when I was in the guise of the tiny dancer. I asked her to convey a question to you too, Charlie. I asked you both what your fondest wish would be." She smiled at Julie. "Julie had many wishes for other folk, and asked very little for herself. Julie, you are a very self-less child. Things will become much better for you.

"And Charlie, as you can see, one of your wishes has come true, Julie can now speak. As for the past, our race is incapable of changing it. I'm sorry. There are some wishes that cannot be granted."

"Julie, you will be able to speak, certainly here, and in your world, if you wish. My race has some special ways to help yours. You might call it "magic," but it isn't. It is simply a way that we have of manipulating currents…you call them _the electromagnetic spectrum."_

Charlie looked a little lost because he had never heard of that spectrum, or any other for that matter. However, Julie, although of a young age, had read many books at the library far above her age level for she was indeed of exceptional intelligence.

Nanette turned to Charlie. "Your appearance of youth can also stay with you, should you wish. You do not have to answer me now. I will give you as much time as you need to decide. For you see, our world is beyond your time. It is rather unfathomable to your race, although, should you stay here, you would understand. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like."

Charlie and Julie were more and more astonished. Julie couldn't think of anything to say.

"Maybe we cou'd 'ave some toime t' talk thi' over between ourse'fs…"

"Yes, certainly," smiled Nanette, who reminded Julie of a fairy she had seen illustrated in a book, except she didn't have wings. "Are you hungry? Would you like to join some of us in the village?"

"Village?"

"Yes, of course, Charlie," smiled Nanette. "We live in small villages, large cities, etc. just as you do. Would you like to come with me?" They both nodded.

Nanette took them to a village with houses that shimmered strangely and beautifully. The alien folk who came out from them resembled Nanette. They all gathered around a long table and enjoyed a feast of food that tasted and looked wonderful, but neither Julie nor Charlie could tell what it was. They had wonderful conversations about interesting subjects. After the feast, they were left alone by the natives.

"Charlie, what should we do?"

"Y' mus' make up yer own moind, Julie…an' I mus' make up moine."

"Charlie, you're very handsome now. You look like my older brother. I think you should stay that way."

Charlie laughed. "An' yer, me lady, y' sound won'erful. Y' mus' keep yer voice." They talked and talked for hours without getting tired.

Later, Nanette came back. "We talk'd it over, Nanette, we made our d'cision," said Charlie. They each, separately, told her what they had decided.

"You don't wish to stay any longer?" asked the alien woman.

"No, Chambers will wonder where I am," said Julie.

"Honey, I told you we are outside of your time. You will not be missed…"

"Still, we want to go…will you come and visit me in the music box again?"

"Perhaps, my dear. We will see." Nanette came over to Julie and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Julie closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately. Then Nanette kissed Charlie on his forehead and he also fell asleep.


	11. A Surprise for the Family

**Chapter 11 - A Surprise for the Family**

Charlie awoke with a start. He checked the mantle clock and it was almost time for lunch. "Julie, wake up, we 'ave t' ge' yer an' Denny ready fer lunch." Julie opened her eyes, yawned and smiled.

She looked at him strangely. "Charlie, you're old again!"

Charlie reacted, shocked, not at what she said, but that she could speak. "Julie, 'ow is it tha' y' c'n talk?"

"Charlie, don't you remember…Nanette, the looking glass?"

He looked puzzled. "Nanette, the lookin' glass?"

"Yes, the music box dancer."

"Oh. I didn't know y' named 'er."

"I didn't. It's her real name."

"'Ow is it tha' y're able t' speak, Julie?"

"Don't you remember Nanette's beautiful country and all the people in her village? They wore beautiful clothes and we had the most wonderful feast there. It was at a long table with fabulous food…don't you remember, Charlie, don't you?"

"Musta been a noice dream, Julie."

"But it wasn't a dream, Charlie. If it were, how could I speak?"

"Dunno, swee'eart, y' go' me there…"

She traced a finger down a line on his cheek. "And how come you're old again, Charlie?"

"I been old since y' knowed me, Julie. Wha' d' y' mean _again_?"

"You were young, with black hair….you looked like you could be my older brother instead of as old as my grandpa. You're still handsome now, but you're real old…"

Charlie smiled. "Musta been some dream…"

"You don't believe me…"

"I know yer tellin' th' truth, li'l lady, bu' I ain't understandin' it… Julie, we need t' tell ever'one th' good news tha' yer c'n speak!"

The servants were amazed and Chambers put in a call to Julie's father. Sterling Wilkins was taken aback and said he would be coming home soon from his travels to see for himself. Julie was excited because when her grandmother heard the news, she said she would come to the house as soon as she could. Like most little girls, Julie loved her grandmother, but she lived a distance away and she rarely was able to see her. Julie's grandmother had always felt Julie to be an intelligent child, in spite of her son and the doctors agreeing that she was not.

Denny seemed less than enthusiastic, for now Julie was getting all the attention. But soon he was conversing with her too. They seemed to be getting on a bit better as the day wore on.

* * *

Two days later, in the evening, the children were in another room playing a game with Maura. Charlie sat by himself in front of the fireplace. Julie had left the music box on the table next to his violin. He picked up the violin and started to play. He was quite involved in playing, his eyes closed, wrapped in the music.

The children's grandmother had arrived at the house and greeted Julie with elation. She didn't understand Julie's explanation of how she could speak now and began to believe that it had been a psychological block that somehow Julie had been able to overcome.

The children's grandmother sat down in a chair and watched Julie and her brother play games and Julie spoke as if she had always had speech. She was elated, for she had always hoped that someday there might be a cure for her granddaughter. Then she became aware of some music being played somewhere in the house. She excused herself from the room and went upstairs to investigate. She heard violin strains coming from the sitting room.

As she entered the room, she could see the violinist's back; he was facing the fireplace. A small, thin man with curly grey hair, he was playing left-handedly and quite enthusiastically. He was an excellent player and the music was lovely. She waited for him to finish the piece and then he went on to another. She sat down quietly near the door to listen. Finally after several more pieces, he started in on the one that Julie's music box always played. It was _The Music Box Waltz. _

When he finished the Waltz, he put down the violin. He sat down on the chair near the fireplace and gazed into the fire wistfully for a few moments. Somehow, he slowly became aware of Julie's grandmother's presence. He turned, then seeing her, stood, surprised that someone was in the room. She also stood and walked slowly toward him. She said softly, "Charlie?"


	12. The Waltz

**Chapter 12 - The Waltz**

Startled to see someone in the room with him, Charlie saw that his surprise visitor was a small woman of perhaps 65 years old. She was wearing a white fur coat and hat and had dark hair streaked with a bit of grey and prominent, large brown eyes.

He didn't say anything; neither did she. She just stood there smiling. Finally it dawned on him. "Mabel?"

She nodded smiling. She opened her arms and they embraced. "You were playing our song, Charlie."

"Yeah. _The Music Box Waltz_." He wound up the music box and they waltzed to the music. When the music stopped, Charlie held her in his arms and kissed her. They sat down on the sofa and he helped her off with her wrap.

"So, what have you been doing all these years, Charlie?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I done a lotta diff'rent things…I'm a expert in a' mos' anything' y' c'n name…"

Mabel laughed. "Still the same old Charlie…" She paused. "You know that I married Ambrose, about six months after we broke up…"

"I didn't know. I always regretted bein' mean t' y'… I'm so sorry. I mean it."

"I believe you this time. Ambrose has been gone these last two years, you know." She paused again. "It's really good to see you, Charlie. You're looking well… except you're too thin…"

"Yer look jus' as beaut'ful as all them years ago. Y' ain't aged a bi'…"

"Still the same old flatterer, aren't you?" She laughed.

He suddenly stopped to think. "I didn't ask y', 'ow is it tha' yer 'ere?"

"I'm Julie and Denny's grandmother. And Sara's too."

He smiled. "I shoulda guessed. Julie an' Sara resemble yer some…"

"Sterling and James are my two sons. Both of them are always off to some exotic country. Always working. Sara of course is James' daughter. I always wished Sterling and James would stay nearer to home for the children's sake. They are only small for a short time. Especially after Aprille passed on…that was Sterling's wife and Julia and Denis' mother. I miss her very much. She was a wonderful daughter-in-law and we got along well." She looked at Charlie affectionately. "You must be the male nanny I have been hearing such glowing reports about ... from Julie. She wrote me a couple of times, but never mentioned you by name." She winked at him. "Not that I would have guessed..."

"I ain't no nanny! I'm a ... a...I ferget wha' they call it..." said the tramp. Mabel laughed.

"Did you ever get married, Charlie?"

"Yeah. Couple toimes. One pass'd away from consumption. Th' other…well, didn't work ou'. I couldn't stay in one plyce long enough back then. Guess y' were lucky we didn't ge' married."

"I've always regretted that we couldn't get along back then. But the past is the past. All I can say is that it is wonderful to see you again."

He embraced her again and kissed her gently.

Neither of them saw Julie enter the room silently and stand at the door watching them and smiling.

* * *

The weeks passed into months and soon it was spring again. Julie's father had come home momentarily to hear his daughter's speech for himself and had given orders that she also be tutored. Although he had to leave again shortly, Sterling promised himself he would not stay away as much in the future. The children had surprised him by growing up so quickly in his absence. And although he would never admit it to anyone, he was shocked at how intelligent his daughter was. He was sorry he had thought her witless.

Charlie had a bit more spare time as he no longer had to watch Julie for the part of the day when the children were being tutored. The children's grandmother came over more often to see them … and to see Charlie. They spent time talking for hours in Charlie's favourite room, the sitting room with the fireplace.

One cool spring evening, Mabel and Charlie were talking. The room was dark except for the flickering fire. They talked and Charlie embraced Mabel and kissed her. Just then Sterling came to the door and frowned. He flicked on the light and demanded, "What's going on here?"

Charlie stood up, a bit embarrassed and said to his employer, "Sorry sir…"

Mabel stood up too. "Sterling, it's none of your business."

Sterling was seething. "Mother, really, do you know he's just a tramp? Yes, Charlie, I've done some checking on your past. Very sketchy work history. Jail time. My niece had padded your résumé. She finally confessed to it. I doubt I would have hired you if I would have known your past. You've done a splendid job with the children, however, so I haven't sacked you for lying. But this…cavorting with my mother!"

"Sterling, come in here and sit down," said Mabel sternly. "I knew Charlie years ago. I know all about him. You don't have to protect me. I know what I'm doing. Charlie is an upstanding man, Sterling." She winked at Charlie. Her tone became softer. "Honey, your father and Charlie were friends when we were young. We all go back a long way…."

Charlie felt uncomfortable being the cause of an argument. He slipped unnoticed out the side door as Mabel and her son were sparring and snuck up to his room. He was undecided as to what to do, but assumed that he would soon be asked to leave. He changed his clothes and put his few belongings in his carpet bag and tiptoed down the steps. He put his hand on the doorknob to leave when he heard a small voice say, "Where are you going, Charlie?"

It was Julie and she noticed he had his hat and coat on and his carpetbag and cane were in his hand. "Yer papa don't want me abou' no more, Julie."

"Why?"

"I done a bad thing, Julie."

"What did you do?"

"I went somewhere I ain't s'posed t' be."

Julie was confused. "Come clean, Charlie. What are you talking about?"

"I step'd over the loine of propri'ty, Julie."

"I still don't get it…what did you do?"

"I kissed yer gran'ma, Julie."

"Oh, I know all about that!" She smiled. "I saw you! I'm glad you like Grandma!"

"Yer Papa don't think so…"

"Wait here…" Julie ran for her coat, then told Chambers she and Charlie were taking a walk. She ran back, grabbed his arm and pulled him outside.

"Don't leave me and Denny, Charlie. We don't want you to leave."

"I dunno if Denny feels the syme way, Julie. In th' las' week, 'e's thrown food a' me twice an' tripp'd me up an'dumped a bucket o'water on me…then there was th' skate 'e lef' on purpose in fronta 'is door. I coulda killed meself, Julie, rollin' down the 'all, outa control; I ain't no twenty years old no more, y' know….does tha' sound as if Denny loikes me?"

"Yes, Charlie. Denny's crazy about you. That's how he shows it."

"I say, I jolly well wouldn't wanna be on 'is bad soide… " Charlie looked at his hand. "An' if I stay, I think th' backsoide o' me 'and is gonna meet Denny's backsoide qui' soon indeed..."

Julie laughed. "Come back, Charlie. Don't leave us…"

"Aw'roigh, I'll come back an' face th' cons'quences. Bu' I ain't sure they wan' me t' stay."

They walked back to the house, Julie holding Charlie's arm. By coincidence, as they entered the foyer, Sterling was walking in through another door.

"Charlie, my mother wants to know where you've disappeared to…she seems a bit annoyed with both of us at this point…she's still in the sitting room…you'd better go in to see her…"

Charlie gave his bag, cane and hat to Julie and walked in the sitting room.

"Where did you go, Charlie? Left me in the middle of that argument wiith my son? Looks like you haven't changed much after all."

"Thought it bes' tha' yer 'andled it yerse'f," said Charlie, softly. "I s'pose I shou'd _'come clean' _loike yer gran'daughter says…I thought Mr. Wilkins was gonna throw me out, so I best leave mese'f…"

"Come here and sit down next to me. You know, Charlie, that sounds like the coward's way out."

"I ain't no coward!"

"I don't know. You seem to run away when things get a bit hot."

She was right. Charlie was feeling uncomfortable, and his reaction to that had been, in the past, to lash out and then run. He looked her straight in the eye and then kissed her again, and a few more times. When they came up for air, Mabel said, "Charlie, don't ever leave me again…"

He smiled and took her in his arms once more. "I won't, me lady, I'm still in love wi' yer, always 'ave been."

Julie was still watching from the doorway. She realized at that moment, that all of her wishes and Charlie's too, had come true!

She ran and got her music box and wound it up, putting it on a table near the door, then hid herself behind the partially closed pocket door and peeked in. When they heard the music, Charlie and Mabel got to their feet and waltzed around the room, as graceful and handsome a couple as they had been 45 years earlier.

**THE END**


End file.
